I am thinking that getting the home version of Awana might be good for you. I know that Sparkies goes over all of what you mentioned and T&T follows up on it. You also might want to look at unit studies or lapbooks.

I haven't read the responses so forgive me if I repeat someone, but there was a girl who was standing up and refusing to wear it and she was punished by not being allowed to participate in school activities. I think one reason that this is such a touchy subject is because of the cameras that were found on the student laptops and other stories like that. http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-19/justice/laptop.suit_1_laptop-program-webcam-district-s-two-high-schools?_s=PM:CRIME Regardless of all that though, this is a money thing. I don't think they have even tried to swing it as a student safety issue but if they did, that is complete bunk. It is purely about the funds they lose when a student is truant. Instead of trying to force tracking onto these kids, they need to examine why there are so many truant children to begin with. And as other posters said, it is way too easy just to hand the ID card to someone else and walk off campus without it. This is not an accurate way to track truancy. And finally, because I am a bit conspiracy theory when it comes to the system, just because they say it can't be tracked off school grounds, doesn't make it true.

I guess people aren't even reading my posts. If they had, they would know I don't need perspective on equal playing time. It didn't just make it "harder" it actually caused an injury last night. Anyways, this thread has turned out to be way more frustrating than the soccer game ever was.

Once again I have an awkward child. I know what it is like. Have I misunderstood what JAWM means?:001_huh:

:iagree: I was looking for a safe place to vent a minor frustration. This hasn't been a life stopping event. It is hard to watch girls get a good run on the ball and then trip over another child who has laid down in the middle of the field. Besides being frustrating it can be dangerous. Last night, it actually caused a knee injury. I don't begrudge the girl a place on the team or playing time. I cheer for her when she gets the ball and pat her on the back at the end of the game. I am not mean and my own child has no idea that I have any feelings about it one way or the other. I have had a "butterfly child". When we realized she wasn't ready for competitive soccer we pulled her and put her in a smaller indoor league that was more focused on using games and such to teach technique.

Wow, I was wondering this as well. I am not a mean person. I cheer for the little girl, I am aware that this is an U8 team and I have already said I don't begrudge her playing time or a place on the team. I can not help but be frustrated when my child (or any other child) has a good run at the goal and then trips and falls over another child who is sprawled out on the field because she fell doing a cartwheel. Besides being disappointing for the child who had the ball, it can get down right dangerous. I have a child that is a "butterfly chaser" as well. I understand the "cute" factor, I understand the wanting them to participate and I understand the, "they aren't ready for this" factor.

For what it is worth, I really think her dad is trying to live vicariously. He doesn't say it loud enough for her to hear but you can hear him voicing his disappointment in between trying to coach her from the stands. I don't get the impression that it is her "thing" (where maybe gymnastics would be with all of the cartwheeling and stretching she does). Like I said, I take these games with a grain of salt, but tonight it was unusually difficult to play around her and it just made me :glare: We only have one more game.

It isn't pumpkin and probably qualifies more as a spring desert but this is AMAZING! http://itsakeeper.wordpress.com/2010/04/27/copycat-ruths-chris-vanilla-cream-with-berries/

I wouldn't do it with guest bones but with my own family? I have never even considered that it might be gross. If I am willing to kiss them on their snotty (and lovely) little faces then eating broth made with boiled chicken bones they ate off of seems pretty inconsequential LOL.

My 7 year old plays on a city league as a stepping stone to trying to make the city elite teams later if she wants. For the most part is just fun. I am not a high pressure parent. However, she does have a natural talent and passion for the sport. Here is where the vent comes in, there is a little girl on the team that drives me INSANE. She is very spaced out anyways, but spends most of the game gazing into nowhere, doing cartwheels, odd stretching, not following directions, kicking the ball the wrong way down the field, stepping in front of the other girls to get the ball and so on. With the entire game going on around her! I mean they will literally have to kick around her doing this stuff! OK, I really do get it. This is a U8 team and I expect that all of the girls should get to play a fairly equal amount of time at this level, and that if my daughter is as good as I think she is, that she will excel despite this one little girl. I also understand that she just needs to mature a bit, but honestly, it is driving me crazy! It effects the entire team when she is out on the field. Keira is quite oblivious to how it trickles through the whole team, and at this level rightly so, but I needed to vent because I just might go crazy. Not trying to bash the little girl, just venting so JAWM.

Christian Wife Mother daughter/sister/granddaughter and so on Teacher Texan American The list would go on and on if I posted everything I identify with, but here is the top tier.

I was not sure my SIL and BIL ever intended on having children but she announced today that she is 12 weeks into a healthy pregnancy! I am so super excited. This will be my first niece or nephew and I have been patiently waiting for 10 years haha! The only sad thing is that my SIL and BIL live in England and we are in Texas. Boo. I am so super excited though that not even that can dampen my mood!:party:

:iagree: I read a few months back that SGK was also spending massive amounts of money suing any other charity that used the phrase "for the cure". They sued a tiny (in comparison) charity called "Kites for the Cure". I refuse to purchase from or support SGK in any way. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/07/komen-foundation-charities-cure_n_793176.html

The cam is off right now and says that Autumn requests privacy while she delivers so maybe she is having the baby?

I am about to start Lie to Me. Looks like it is going to be good.

We liked Jericho but it only lasted 3 seasons so there are cliff hangers that never get finished.:glare:

I am thinking of doing some wallpaper accent walls in our new house. Usually in our area walls are textured and painted so I have no experience with it. So tell me what you think of wall paper and what potential problems we might run into? We would have it professionally installed on untextured walls.

I am just seeing this...dance...but it cracks me up! http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/09/19/watch-navy-cadets-perform-gangnam-style-lip-dub/ Why does this remind me of the way Mr Bean would dance?

I can see that, but doesn't it seem logical that if schools could be run privately that more would open to pick up the slack? Sure you still may not be able to get into the school you wanted but you could get at least get into the next best? Or those schools with high demand could actually afford to expand and create multiple campuses. Don't get me wrong, I am sure I am living in some sort of "dream land" but couldn't this work?

We were in the high 80's today. It was perfect. I hate snow though I am looking forward to wearing some new fall clothes I got for my birthday.

I have had numerous stomach surgeries and I think she is probably ok. I would go get it checked out for your peace of mind if it bothers you, but otherwise watch for signs of infection.

I read through the last few pages and an option hasn't been mentioned. What about attaching the money to the children instead of the district? This would allow parents to send their children to the school they choose creating competition. In my head it seems like this would lead to schools competing for better teachers which would equal better teacher pay, poorly performing schools would be shut down due to lack of funding and the over all quality of schools would increase. Even if you had parents who didn't care enough to send their kids to better schools, the children would be somewhat "forced" into better ones when the population of the poorly performing ones got so low the school could no longer be sustained.

I TOTALLY agree. I hated it. We hated it. If you have the money I would dump it. If not can you skip some of the repetitive stuff and just skim through the book?

I didnt read through, but with my first daughter I had 7 ivs while I was in the hospital. They busted 6 veins and my arms were a MESS. Towards the end it was so painful that I requested the numb my arm before the pokes. Can you do that? :grouphug: